Recommendations for Shipping a Van to Europe?

[BC]

anybody have any experience, vendors, shippers? Not mine, a buddy wants to take his Syncro Westy over, travel around for several months. Looking for anyone who has any experience, soup to nuts including best fastest most reliable way over the pond, and any other issues--licensing, insurance, etc.

Will also call Sportsmobile as I remember Jonathan was one of the Gumball Rally team members back in 03 I think it was, driving an SMB that came out of CA but not theirs.

[ProfessorPaddle]

I work for a shipping company and I have moved vehicles overseas before including my own.

The company I work for is UniGroup Inc. I can offer him a quote on these services but here are some recommendations I would make.

1. Make sure one company handles the origin port packing/loading, ocean shipping and destination port unpack/unload. This is important because most of the problems occur if you try to find companies on your own to do each leg. It turns into a they said, or they should do this not us etc. If there are problems you have to do the leg work and it is much cleaner if you can just make one call for your answers.

2. Make sure you pick a good customs broker that is familiar with your import region and purpose. That can make a world of difference when clearing customs at the inbound port.

3. Don't leave anything in your vehicle. Most shippers will not take liability for anything but the vehicle itself. Unless you can load a container and then secure the doors, the vehicle will be on a flat bed oversized platform. Westies can fit in most containers but it depends on suspension, racks etc... my syncro did not fit since it was lifted with racks and larger tires. Long story short, anything left in the vehicle not part of the vehicle is non-liable. And on long ocean voyages you can be sure if your vehicle is on an open deck crew hands will be interested.

4. Bag and Tag that puppy. Take photos of the vehicle prior to departure and then seal the doors etc. with tape and try to mask as much of the paint job as possible, Lube rubber seals and boots well because 20-30 days on a salty ocean vessel can suck the life out of old VW rubber!!!!

[ProfessorPaddle]

Oh and just FYI, I am not trying to get business from members here, just trying to help answer questions. I run a forum for whitewater paddlers and I hate it when vendors and business people bait off our discussions so I apologize in advance if it seemed like that to anyone.

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by ProfessorPaddle

Oh and just FYI, I am not trying to get business from members here, just trying to help answer questions. I run a forum for whitewater paddlers and I hate it when vendors and business people bait off our discussions so I apologize in advance if it seemed like that to anyone.

FWIW, it sounded to me that you gave good, firsthand advice that was asked for. As someone without a dog in the hunt, I don't think it came across as you soliciting for business.


Herb

[BC]

agree helpful profpaddle, esp knowledge of westys there and the shipping, will pass along. Roughly and just out of curiosity, cost/ container or otherwise?

[ProfessorPaddle]

In a container is going to be much cheaper than out of a container and if you do a group ship with multiple cars, ie a 40' container with 3 cars blocked inside it will be cheapest. If it is on a platform/oversized it is going to be much more because it can't be stacked and has to be in a seperate part of the vessel.

The basic quote will look something like this I would suspect $1000-$1500 depending on insurance coverage, service type for ground car carrier to get it to the east coast. Then from the port of exit to port of entry your looking at another $4-$5k if your in a container alone and as much as 7-8k if your oversized and as low as 2-3k if you are LCL packed with other cars in the container.

Hope that helps and it's not a quote obviously LOL Europe is a pretty vague description where prices change quick from the port of bordeaux vs, rotterdam or amsterdam, Hamburg or Istanbul (Haydarpa?a).

Best suggestion is to get all the details that can't change, ie weights, dims, origins/destinations and let the company your working with find the cheapest route if thats your goal.

[BC]

thanks PPaddle look for PM may connect you directly with my buddy to discuss more

[nalle09]

Hi,
PPaddle please PM your Conntects, since I will have to ship my future van to Germany or Sweden.

Now to the Post, I can understand to take your own Van with.
On the other Hand, get one over here and take it back with you or sell it once your down with the trip.
Since you will have to get Insurance, it might be easier to it for a European Car in Europe.
If you need help or anything, just Pm me.

Mike

[AndrewST]

Aside of the containers, there are also RO-RO (Roll on Roll off).

There are regular connections between East coat and Germany and I think also from the west coast (to be confirmed)

I have to dig a bit but if wanted, I can post the details.

Andrew